The Staunton River Bridge Fortification Historic District in Charlotte and Halifax counties is a rare example of a well-preserved Civil War–era star fort. Associated with the defense of the Staunton River railroad bridge, the site includes remnants of the star-shaped earthen fortification known as Fort Hill, rifle trenches to the north and west, and a Confederate artillery battery most likely constructed after the Battle of Staunton River Bridge. During the Civil War, the Roanoke and Danville Railroad bridge was a covered wooden structure of great importance to the Confederates who relied on the railroad for supplies. On June 25, 1864, the bridge was the object of a Union cavalry raid, during which the raiders destroyed track to the north. A ragtag band of convalescing Confederate soldiers, regular troops, and local “old men and boys” repulsed several attacks and prevented the bridge’s destruction.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia